Shoemaker s last



(NoModell) J. A. COLBY.

SHOEMAKERS LAST.

No. 570.154. Patented Oct; 27, I896.

FIG-6 (J WITNESSES! I r 2 7 'fiz 'YQKM f UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JESSE ALLEhT COLBY, OF XVILMINGTON, DELAXVARE.

SHOEMAKERS LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,154, dated October27, 1896.

Application filed August 1, 1894. Serial No. 519,172. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE ALLEN COLBY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Wilmington, in the county of New Castle, in the State ofDelaware, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement-inShoemakers Lasts, of which the following is a true and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a partthereof.

My invention relates to shoemakers lasts, and has for its object toprovide improved means for securing the insole to the sole or bottom ofthe last and an improved device for locking the last and last-blocktogether.

Generally speaking, my invention consists in a retractable pronged platesituated in a cavity of the last-sole and arranged to be forced into andheld in operative position, preferably, by the seating of the block inits recess in the last, though other means maybe employed for thispurpose. Preferably the plate is retracted by the action of a spring,and I lock the block in position by a sliding bolt situated on the topof the block and arranged to engage a detent on the top of the last.

My improvements in detail will be best understood as described inconnection with the drawings, in which they are illustrated, and inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, on line 0c m ofFig. 7 of a last havingmy improvement. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are viewsof details of construction. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the toe ofthelastof Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified construction oflast, partly in section, on line y y of Fig. 9, which is a plan view ofpart of said last. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a plate usedin theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partlyin central section, of the toe of a last, showing another modificationof my invention; and Fig. 12 shows a modified form of metal sole-plate.

A is the last 5 A, the top thereof; A the block-recess, and A a cavityformed in the bottom orsole for the reception of the pron ged plate, Abeing a channel for the rod or pin, which actuates the pronged plate.

B is the last-block, the top. thereof beingindicated at B. Generally thepoint I) of the block is held in place byaprojection a of the last. buta dowel-pin or any convenient device may be used for this purpose 0indicates a bolt formed of a plate of metal and moving across the top ofthe block to engage a detent on the top of the lastin connection with adevice of some kind for holding the point of the block in place. Thisforms a simple, cheap, and effective lock. Preferably the bolt 0is'formed with slots 0 0, through which pass screws D, which hold it tothe block and on'which it slides, the bolt having a recessed jaw G whichengages ascrew D on the top of the last. \Vhile any convenient way ofmoving the bolt may be employed, I prefer to form it with a fold C andto provide a lever E, the lower edge E of which rests in a recess B ofthe block, and which is slotted at E to receive the fold C of the bolt,as shown in Fig. 1. The upper part E of the lever serves as a handle formoving the belt, which, of course, follows the rocking of the lever. Ido not in this application claim this particular locking device, as itis simply shown to illustrate a convenient device for keeping the blockin position in the last. "This lock will, however, be made thesubject-matter of anolher application.

F is a plate preferably dished to the dome form shown and provided withprongs F at its lower edge. This plate is situated in the cavity A andis movable therein to such an extent that its prongs can be projectedbeyond the sole of the last or retracted within the cavity, and themouth of the cavity is preferably covered by a metal plate havingperforations H in it,through which the prongs F can project. Theseplates are indicated at H and may consist of a metallic plate coveringthe whole of the last-bottom, as in Fig. 1, or in a plate of only suchsize as is necessary to close the cavity, as in Figs. 11 and 12.

G is a spring the function of which is to retract the pronged plate sothat normally the prongs will not extend beyond the last-sole.

I is a rod extending from the cavity A through channel A whichpreferably leads to the block-recess A. The function of the rod is topress the pronged plate outward, so that the prongs will be brought tooperative position to engage the insole. In Fig. 11 the head I of therod rests directly in contact with the plate I but preferably I place incavity A a lever L, which should be dished to it over. the top of thedomed plate 1 and which is f ulcru med at its end L on a shoulder A incavityA In this construction the rod I rests against the free end L ofthe lever and transmits motion to the pronged plate through it.

N, Fig. 1, indicates a guide pin which passes through holes I and L" inthe plate and lever and serves to center them and the spring G. The pinI is of such a length that its end projects somewhat beyond the surfaceof the block-cavity and the block is provided with an abutting surfaceJ, which, when the block is being seated, comes against the rod andpresses it in,directly or indirectly, against the pronged plate, which,by this means, is forced to operative position and held there as long asthe block is locked in place upon the last. As by sharpening orotherwise the prongs may vary in length it is desirable to provide meansfor adjusting the throw of the rod, and this is conveniently done bymaking the abutment adjustable, as by using a screw J, Fig. 1.

If desired, the piirl maybe made to serve the purpose of a dowel-pin tohold the point of the block in place, such a construction be ing shownin Fig. 8, where a plate K extends beneath the pin, as shown.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A last having in combination apronged plate, the prong or prongswhereof are adapted to extend through the sole of the last, and which isadapted to be retracted so that its prongs will be withdrawn into thebody of the last, a rod extending through the body of the last so thatone end projects into the block-recess while its other end is arrangedto exert pressure as described against the. prong-plate, and a blockarranged, when seated in the blocki'ecess, to press against said rod,and through it to force the prongs through the sole of the last.

A last having in combination a pronged plate, the prong or prongswhereof are adapted to extend through the sole of the last, and which isadapted to be retracted so that its prongs will be withdrawn into thebody of the last, a spring arranged to normally press in and retract thepron g-plate, a rod extending through the body of the last so that oneend projects into the block-recess while its other end is arranged toexert pressure as described against the prong-plate, and a blockarranged when seated in the block-recess, to press against said rod, andthrough it to force the prongs through the sole of the last.

A last having a cavity as A formed in its sole in combination with aperforated metal plate II covering said cavity, a pronged plate situatedin said cavity, a spring arranged to retract the plate and withdraw theprongs into the cavity, a rod GXiJGl'ldll'lg from the said cavity intothe block-recess and a block arranged to rest in said recess, and bypushing on said rod to force the prongs through the sole of the last.

4. In combination with a last having a spring-retracted prong-plate asdescribed, and a rod arranged to force the prong-plate outward whenacted on by the seated block, a block, and an adjustable rod-abutmentsecured thereto.

5. In combination with a last having a cavity in its sole, a dishedplate having prongs on its edge situated in said cavity and arranged sothat its prongs can extend beyond the lastsole, a spring arranged in thecavity of said plate to retract it, a rod arranged to push the prongedplate outward and a block arranged to thrust against the rod when seatedon the last.

G. In combination with a last having a cavity in its sole, a prongedplate situated therein, a pivoted lever, as L, resting against saidplate, a spring arranged to retract the plate, a rod arranged to restagainst the lever, and acting through it to push the pronged plateoutward, and a block arranged to press against said red when seated.

7. In combination with a last having a cavity in its sole, a disheddome-shaped pronged plate situated in said cavity, a pivoted leverhaving a dished center which rests over the dome of the pronged plate, aspring arranged to retract the plate, a rod arranged to push against oneend of the lever and through it to force the pronged plate outward and ablock arranged to press against the rod when seated on the last.

8. In a last, the combination of a retractable pronged plate arranged inthe sole thereof, a plate-actuating rod extending through the last-bod yinto the block-recess, a block arranged to press against said red whenseated, and a sliding bolt-lock arranged on the top of the block andlast to lock them together.

JESSE ALLEN COL KY.

IVitnes ses:

ALF. I-I. FABER, D. STEWART.

